Derry Public Library's news and events for teens. Watch for book reviews, recommended reads, book trailers and upcoming events.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Long Night Dance by Betsy James

Vague/small spoilers.

Title: Long Night DanceAuthor: Besty JamesYear of Publication: 1989Genre: YA, fantasyPages: 199First Line: "It was a crazy place to have built a house, on the western cliffs where the wind was incessant, but Ab Drem had gotten the land cheaply in trade."

Summary: Fifteen-year-old Kat is more her father's housekeeper than his daughter. Just like all Upslope women, Kat is required to stay close to the hearth and as far away from Downshore and its savage people as possible. Kat must remain respectable -- and that means covering her read hair, finding a husband to care for, and never singing, swimming, or dancing.

But Kat knows there must be more to life -- she can feel it in her heart. She can hear the call -- the sound of drums beating, drawing her to the forbidden beach. When Kat can no longer resist the call, she discovers what she thinks is a fatally injured seal washed up on the shore. Instead, she has found a Rig, one of a charmed race of mythical seal people. The only way to save this mysterious man is to defy her father and her community and seek aid in Downshore. But does Kat have the strength to stand on her own?

Source: Back of book

Review: Betsy James focused so much, I think, on the way her words sounded that she ignored the rest of the book. Plot was underdeveloped, characters were relatively flat, and the point of the book was totally lost. I have read another book about selkies (the "mythical seal people" or "Rigi" in this book) called Seven Tears into the Sea and it was much better. I may read the sequel to this if I have time, only to see if it's any better. All in all, I was disappointed. Too many things were missing from this book.

Worst part: Betsy was more trying to write pretty phrases than actually get a good story out.

Best part: I liked Nall's name. That's...that's about it.

Grade: D

Other Books by This Author:Dark Heart and others.

48 / 50 books. 96% done!

Also, congratulations and good job to everyone who participated in the Open Mic Night!